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Patented Dec. 20, i898.

i N. c. HENNING. PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OIL GAS.

(Application filed Max'. 24, 1898.) (No Model.)

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lUNiTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

NORVAI. C. HENNING, OF NElV VIENNA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO MOSESRICE, OF SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUSKFOR GENERATING OIL-GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,418, dated December20, 1898.

Application filed March 24, 1898. Serial No. 675,015. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern..-

Be it known that I, NoEvAL C. I-IENNING,

la citizen of the United States, residing at New Vienna, in the countyof Clinton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Methods of and Apparatus for Generating Oil-Gas; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for generatingilluminatinggas from hydrocarbon liquid, such as gasolene, and has inview the production of a domestic oilsgas-genera-ting plant in which theelements of safety, economy, and efficiency are pronounced and whichinvolves no complicated construction likely to get out of order ordifficult to manipulate. An apparatus constructed in accordance with theinvention can be managed with ease by an unskilled person, and even if amistake is made nothing serious in the way of an accident can occur.

I am aware that long prior to my present invention there are instancesin the art to which it pertains of oil-gas-generating plants in which aportion of a gas-conduit constitutes a retort subjected to the name of aburner fed from said conduit; but I am not aware that any apparatus ofthis character has been practically successful in generatingilluminatinggas, and in evolving the present invention I have sought toovercome certain defects in prior apparatus which have come to mynotice.

The general idea above expressedis present in my invention and is anessential part of it; but other elements are introduced which clothethis fundamental idea in practical form and make the present inventionan advance in the art.

1Wit-h the above-stated objects in view the invention consists incertain novel methods of procedure and combinations of parts, theessential elements of which are recited in the appended claims and adetailed description of a preferred form of embodiment of which is givenhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereof- Figurel represents the complete apparatus for the most part in verticalsection with some portions in elevation and some broken away. Fig. 2represents the burner in top plan view with the gas-cond uit extendingtherethrough 55 in cross-section, and Fig. 3 represents an indicator inbottom plan.

The supporting-framework of the apparatus may be of any suitable design,that here shown comprising legs a and a top a', at some 6o distanceabove which a supply-tank b is supported, said tank being adapted tocontain gasolene or other hydrocarbonaceous liquid and having anoutlet-pipe h depending from its lower side and supported by a flange onthe 65 frame-top a' and a cross-piece a" extending between two of theframe-legs a. The burner employed is not of itself new with me, but issubstantially like that shown in Patent No. 567,479, dated September 8,1896, and coin- 7o prises a retort in the form of a stand-pipe c,screwing at its lower end into a casing which has a screw-threaded bosson one side receiving the gasolene-supply pipe b', the latter having atapered seat for a needle-valve l2", 75 entered through a screw-threadedboss in the opposite side of said casing and having a suitable handle onthe exterior of the latter. Said stand-pipe has a valve-chamber c"depending within said casing and having a 8c screen across its lower endand a tapered seat in its upper side for a conical valve c2, Whose stemis connected by a chain c3 with a iioat c4 in the retort. When theapparatus is not in use, the iioat closes the said valve to 85 stop thefiow of the gasolene; but when the apparatus is in operation thepressure of vapor in the retort lowers the gasolene, so that the saidvalve may open. A head d on the upper end of the stand-pipe has atapered 9o opening in one side controlled by a needlevalve cl', enteredthrough the opposite side, and immediately opposite said opening is amixing-chamber e, having an interior pipe e' open at both ends andadapted to take in va- 9 5 por and air at one end and discharge the samefrom its opposite end into the said mixingchamber. Above the latter is aburner-cap f, having a branch f' extending over the retort-head d, so asto direct a Haine downward roo thereagainst. The operation of thisburner will be apparent and is substantially the same as that describedin said patent above mentioned, the initial heat being applied to theretort c by means of an asbestos torch g,which is introduced into aperforated annular chamber g embracing the retort and suitably supportedthereon. This torch may be charged with gasolene in a tube g2,communicating with the bottom of the tank b and extending upwardlyalongside the same.

In carrying out my invent-ion I connect with the stand-pipe c a shorthorizontal pipe 7L, which communicates with the interior of the latterand is united to a fitting h', supporting the lower end of asupplemental stand-pipe or retort h2, Whose upper portion extendsthrough the burner close to one side of the same, as shown in Fig. 2, soas to be fully exposed to the flame. This pipe 72,2 protrudes from thetop of the burner, and a nozzle h3 is screwed onto it and down againstthe burnercap, and said nozzle has a tapered hole in its upper endcontrolled by a needle-valve 7l, whose stem t" is screw-threaded forengagement with a boss t'" in the nozzle, the said stem thence extendingdownwardly through the pipe 72,2 and through the fitting 7L', which hasa stuffing-box h3. An index-plate is fastened to the gland of thelatter, and the handle t2 of the valve-stem carries an indexfinger 4,extending over said plate, the object of this arrangement being todetermine the extent of opening of the needle-valve controlling thegas-supply.

Immediately over the burner there is an oven or hot-air chamber 7c,supported upon the frame-top d by means of a flange or skirt 7a', thebottom of said oven fitting around the nozzle h3 and against a shoulderthereof and being clamped upon the latter by a nut 72.4 engaging ascrew-threaded end portion of the nozzle. Air-pipes m depend from thebottom of the oven to a point below the cap of the burner, and fresh airis drawn in through these pipes to supply the oven into which the nozzleh3 discharges the vapor superheated in the pipe h2. A funnel-shaped hoodn fits around a central opening in the top of the oven and connects witha pipe n', through which gas is conveyed to the illuminatingburners.This pipe and the hood are preferably surrounded by a jacket n2 toprevent undue radiation of heat.

The operation of the generator will be apparent and requires but briefexplanation. Vapor passing from the stand-pipe or retort c through thepipe 7L and into the supplemental stand-pipe or retort h2 is subjectedin the latter to the heat of the main burner, and the gas evolved passesinto the oven and is there mixed with a copious supply of hot air. Theresult is an illuminating-gas of high quality, which gives a flame ofgreat brilliancy without smoke. oil-level is never above the pipe 71,and, in fact, when the apparatus is in operation the It will beunderstood that the oil-level is lowered considerably below thatpermitted by the iioat by reason of the pressure of the vapor. Y

It will be seen that the construction and arrangement of parts abovedescribed provides of a vaporizing chamber or retort having anoil-supply connection, a burner communicating with and supplied directlyfrom said chamber and extending in proximity thereto for the purpose ofheating the same to generate vapor therein, a superheating chamber orretort communicating with the first-mentioned Y chamber or retort andassociated with the burner so as to be subjected to the heat of thesame, and an air-chamber adjacent to the burner receiving thedischarging end of said superheating-retort.

2. In an oil-gas generator, the combination of a vaporizing chamber orretort having an oil-supply connection, a burner communicating with andsupplied directly from said chamber and extending in proximity theretofor the purpose of heating the same to generate vapor therein, asuperheating chamber or retort communicating with the first-mentionedchamber or retort and extending through the burner near one side of thesame, and an airchamber adjacent to the latter and receiving thedischarging end of the superhea'ting-retort.

3. In an oil-gas generator, the combination of a stand-pipe having anoil-supply connection at its lower part and constituting a retort at itsupper part, valves at the upper and lower ends of said stand-pipecontrolling outflow of vapor and inflow of oil respectively,

a burner alongside the retort portion of said stand pipe andcommunicating therewith and having a-branch extending over the topthereof, an air-heating chamber or oven arranged over the burner andhaving one or more air-inlet pipes depending below the burner, asupplemental stand-pipe extending through the main portion of the burnerand communicating through a suitable connection A at 'its lower end'withthe first-mentioned 1 stand-pipe, and opening at its upper end into theair-heating chamber, and a valve controlling outlet of gas from saidsupplemental stand-pipe into the air-heating chamber.V

4. The improved method of generating illuminating-gas, the sameconsisting in Vaporizing hydrocarbon liquid, burning part of thel vaporwithout superheating and applying rev sultant heat for furthervaporization of the mixing heated air with the superheated Vapor thesuperheated Vapor to produce gas of high to produce illuminating-gas.illuminating` power.

5. The improved method of generatingillu- In testimony whereof I affixmy signature minatinggas, the same consisting,` in Vaporizin presence oftWo Witnesses. 1 ing hydrocarbon liquid, burning part of the T T i Tvapor Without superheating and applying re- ORX AL C' HENNH G' sultantheat for further Vaporization of the lVitnesses: liquid, superheatingpart of the vapor, by JOHN BODEN, such resultant heat, heating,` air bysuch re- J. XV. PENN.

liquid, superheating part of the Vapor, and l' sultant heat, and mixingsuch heated air With i

